The transmigrated wife is crazy and ruthless.

Chapter 299 Securing the Throne

Li Cunxu had just ascended the throne, but his rule was not yet secure.

His uncle, Li Kening, held considerable military power and dreamed of inheriting the throne.

But unexpectedly, his brother Li Keyong directly passed the throne to Li Cunxu.

What frustrated him most was that Li Keyong asked him to assist Li Cunxu.

But he had long coveted power and harbored resentment.

He secretly rallied some generals and ministers, plotting to overthrow Li Cunxu and take his place.

After Li Cunxu became the Prince of Jin, some of the people on Li Kening's side claimed to be ill, while others claimed to have other matters to attend to, all using various excuses not to attend court.

Qiu Ziyue suggested to Li Cunxu that he pretend not to know and appoint Li Kening as the commander-in-chief of the cavalry and infantry in his jurisdiction.

On the surface, this appointment reflects Li Cunxu's lack of military knowledge.

He then shifted all the blame onto his uncle, demonstrating a sense of incompetence.

In fact, this is precisely where Qiu Ziyue and Li Cunxu's brilliance lies.

Li Cunxu not only caused his political enemies to underestimate him, but also led them to misjudge him.

At the same time, this appointment can also restrain Li Kening to some extent and concentrate the contradictions on Li Kening.

Li Kening accepted the appointment, but he refused to leave his home.

At first, Li Kening at least considered the relationship between uncle and nephew and did not make up his mind to stage a coup.

However, Li Cunhao, Li Keyong's adopted son, was extremely dissatisfied, so he approached Li Kening and incited him to stage a coup.

Given the situation at the time, Li Cunxu listened to Qiu Ziyue and the others' advice.

Having already guessed the unrest in Jinyang City and being prepared for various actions against him, he proactively adopted a defensive stance.

“We just need to wait and see,” Qiu Ziyue said.

"How should this be understood?" Li Cunxu asked.

"The point is to let everyone perform to their heart's content, while we quietly observe from the sidelines to see who is loyal to you and who is against you."

Then, you can take your political enemies by surprise.

In the council chamber, Qiu Ziyue explained the next steps of the plan to Li Cunxu.

"Why do you do this?" Li Cunxu asked.

"You're so stupid. We have to give them a chance so that they can show their true colors."

So Li Cunxu began to stay at home, waiting in silence for an opportunity.

However, someone couldn't hold back any longer, and that person was Zhang Chengye.

Zhang Chengye was a eunuch in the Tang royal court.

He was once a military supervisor sent by the Tang Dynasty to Li Keyong's army.

On his deathbed, Li Keyong formally entrusted Li Cunxu to Zhang Chengye.

Zhang Chengye certainly lived up to expectations.

He also sensed the turmoil of the times. Seeing that Li Cunxu was indifferent to everything except keeping vigil for his deceased father, Zhang Chengye felt anxious.

However, Li Kening underestimated Li Cunxu.

He actually used the excuse of dividing his forces to fight the enemy to ask to go to Yunzhong to become the military governor, and asked Li Cunxu to give him control of Weizhou, Yingzhou and Shuozhou.

Li Cunxu immediately saw through Li Kening's intentions from the request he made.

He discovered that his uncle, Li Kening, was an absolutely disloyal person.

From this moment on, Li Cunxu wanted to completely eliminate Li Kening, a military general with military power.

Li Cunxu calmly agreed to Li Kening's request.

But he said he needed to consult the opinions of the generals.

Li Kening, however, did not realize that Li Cunxu was stalling for time.

He believed that this behavior proved Li Cunxu's lack of independent thought and incompetence.

He waited patiently for Li Cunxu to make his final decision.

But at this moment, Li Kening made a decisive mistake: he killed the general Li Cunzhi.

This has caused considerable dissatisfaction among a significant number of people.

Just as Li Cunxu was secretly preparing to deal with his uncle, a eunuch named Shi Jingrong quietly paid an audience with Li Cunxu's mother, Lady Cao.

Shi Jingrong reported everything, saying that Li Kening and others were plotting to invite Madam Cao and Li Cunxu to their residence as guests, and then launch a mutiny during the banquet to capture them.

Then, in the name of the King of Jin, he made peace with the State of Liang and sent Lady Cao to the State of Liang as a hostage.

Madam Cao told Li Cunxu everything.

Li Cunxu had been waiting for this outcome.

Li Cunxu decided to kill his uncle for his disloyalty.

Everything had reached a point where action was imperative, like an arrow on a bowstring, ready to be released.

Li Cunxu solemnly thanked Shi Jingrong.

With the assistance of Qiu Ziyue, Qi Yuxuan, and others, Li Cunxu gradually obtained evidence that Li Kening and Li Cunhao were plotting something sinister.

However, capturing them in one fell swoop will not be easy.

The situation between North Korea and China is complex and volatile, and any inappropriate action could trigger greater unrest.

Therefore, Li Cunxu decided to adopt more covert and decisive measures.

One late night, Li Cunxu secretly summoned two of his most trusted generals—Liu Zhiyuan and Zhou Dewei.

These two generals were not only highly skilled in martial arts, but also extremely loyal and enjoyed great prestige in the army.

Li Cunxu briefly explained the current situation to them and put forward a bold plan.

"I need the two of you to lead elite troops to sneak into the residences of Li Kening and Li Cunhao and capture them when they are off guard."

Li Cunxu said, "We must ensure that the operation is swift and silent to avoid causing unnecessary disturbances."

Liu Zhiyuan and Zhou Dewei immediately began preparations.

They selected a top-tier squad, equipped them with the necessary gear, and meticulously planned their route.

Meanwhile, Qiu Ziyue and Qi Yuxuan also cooperated closely.

The exact locations of Li Kening and Li Cunhao, as well as the safety of their surroundings, were further confirmed through various channels.

To prevent leaks, all those involved in the operation were kept strictly confidential and received specialized training to deal with emergencies.

As night falls, the entire city falls asleep.

Liu Zhiyuan and Zhou Dewei led their small team and set off quietly.

Using the terrain as cover, they successfully reached their target location.

According to prior intelligence, Li Kening and Li Cunhao were living in two adjacent mansions.

The two groups acted separately and quickly launched a surprise attack according to the pre-arranged plan.

Liu Zhiyuan's group was the first to rush into Li Kening's residence.

At this time, Li Kening was plotting with other rebels and was completely unaware of the approaching danger.

When the guards broke down the door, he panicked and tried to resist but was quickly subdued.

Meanwhile, Zhou Dewei's group also achieved the same victory at Li Cunhao's residence.

Li Cunhao was also caught off guard and was so frightened by the sudden attack that he was at a loss for what to do. He was eventually captured as well.

After the operation, Li Cunxu immediately ordered the two men to be escorted to the palace for interrogation.

Faced with irrefutable evidence, Li Kening and Li Cunhao could no longer deny their crimes and had to admit their guilt.

In order to stabilize public sentiment, Li Cunxu publicly announced their treasonous acts and ordered them to be severely punished according to the law.

This mutiny did not seem to be initiated by Li Kening, but rather by Prince Jin, Li Cunxu himself.

Thus, Li Kening was killed by his own nephew, and Li Cunxu became the de facto ruler of Jinyang City.

A struggle over the throne of the Prince of Jin ultimately ended in victory for Li Cunxu.

To be continued in the next chapter!